Mattress and process for producing stuffing therefor

ABSTRACT

The body of a mattress comprises a cocoon thread bundle of long fibers formed by reeling cocoon threads off cocoons and separating them one from another. The body the mattress also has inner layers sandwiching the bundle. The body is quilted at appropriate positions and covered by a suface cloth made of woven fabric, and the periphery of the body is fastened by a retention cloth. The mattress has touch different from, for example feather mattress and serves to reduce yarn breakage of the cocoon long-fibers which are used as the stuffing. The stuffing can be easily produced without fail by a process comprising the steps of reeling cocoon threads off boiled cocoons and winding them around a take-up reel, fusing the wound cocoon threads at appropriate positional, and cutting the fused bundles.

This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of prior PCTInternational Application No. PCT/JP 96/02606 which has an Internationalfiling date of Sep. 12, 1996 which designated the United States ofAmerica, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a mattress having an excellent insulatingproperty and provided with a high-grade feeling different from feathersand the like.

The invention further relates to a process for producing stuffing of themattress and the like and a producing device used for the said process,and in detail the invention relates to a process for producing stuffingof a mattress or clothing and the like having an excellent insulatingproperty and provided with a high-grade feeling different from feathersand the like and a producing device used for the said process.

2. Related Art

Hitherto, as stuffing of a mattress such as coverlet, bedding and thelike and arctic clothes and the like, there have been used urethane,feather, hair, cotton or wool and the like having excellent insulatingproperty, hygroscopicity and cushionability. In such mattress, when ashort fiber was used for stuffing, there was a problem that the shortfiber is slipped out of an inner layer. Therefore, various specialtreatments were applied to the inner layer, and a measure was planned toprevent the stuffing from slipping out. However, a process for applyingany special treatment to the inner layer caused problems of not onlylowering the touch and the feel but also a comparatively high producingcost.

Therefore, in recent years there has been developed a process forforming a continuous long fiber by twining or twisting short fiberstogether, using the said long fiber as stuffing, and preventing thestuffing from slipping out of an inner layer. Particularly, recently,there is developed silk applicable to the bedding field and the like bymaking the best use of the processing technique of raw silk. That is, asan available process for such silk, a silk thread prepared by twining aplurality of cocoon threads, each one of which is cotton like and flossmade by waste cocoons unavailable as raw silk, are processed, andutilized as stuffing of the mattress, clothing, arctic outfits and thelike.

However, a prior long fiber is continued by twining or twisting shortfibers together, and in case of using it as stuffing of mattress, suchlong fiber per se becomes hard and invites a feeling of physicaldisorder in use and a lowering of the feel.

Furthermore, a silk thread prepared by twining a plurality of cocoonthreads, each one of which is cotton-like, forms uneven twisted portionsat the time of producing to become hemp-like; thus, making it impossibleto obtain the touch of good quality. Moreover, in case of using flossmade by waste cocoon, it is impossible to obtain the delicate touch,feel and high-grade feeling, and to suitably use such for stuffing ofmattress and the like.

In case of using urethane, wool or cotton and the like, used until nowas stuffing, such stuffing is excellent in mass-production andproduction cost, but rather unsatisfactory in touch and feel.

An object of the invention is, therefore, to prevent thread cutting of along fiber, and to propose high-grade mattress provided with the touch,feel and insulating property different from feathers.

Moreover, another object of the invention is to propose a process forproducing stuffing which can easily and positively produce mattress,clothing and arctic outfits and a producing device used for the saidprocess.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A mattress of the invention is characterized in that a cocoon threadbundle of long fibers formed as a reeled thread by reeling cocoonthreads off a plurality of cocoons and separating them one by one issandwiched with inner layers from both the upper and lower sides to formthe mattress body. Quilting is applied to appropriate portions of themattress body. The circumference of the mattress body is covered with asurface cloth made of woven fabric, and the peripheral portion isfastened by a retention cloth.

The cocoon thread bundle of long fibers can be arranged in thelongitudinal direction, the short-side direction or both thelongitudinal direction and the short-side direction of the mattress.Moreover, it is possible to double the mattress body, to insert solidstuffing as a core member into the mattress body, and to cover thecircumference of the mattress body with a surface cloth. In the mattressof the invention, the touch, feel and insulating property are improved.Also, thread cutting is prevented during a period of use, and ahigh-grade feeling is obtained.

Moreover, the invention relates to a process for producing stuffingwhich comprises steps of reeling cocoon threads off a plurality ofboiled cocoons round a reel, sewing appropriate portions of the cocoonthreads reeled round the reel, and cutting and processing a bundle ofthe sewed cocoon threads.

It is also preferable the bundle of the cocoon threads reeled round thereel is used as stuffing by sandwiching with two cloths.

Moreover, the invention relates to a device for producing stuffing whichcomprises a cocoon container for containing a plurality of boiledcocoons, an automatic reeler for reeling cocoon threads off cocoonswithin the cocoon container round a reel, a transverse suspension shaftarranged between the cocoon container and the reel, a sewing devicehaving a long machine for sewing appropriate portions of the cocoonthreads reeled round the reel, and a set table for cutting andprocessing a bundle of the sewed cocoon threads.

The reel is contractible in the longitudinal and/or vertical direction.

The above process and device can easily and positively produce stuffingof mattress and the like consisting of a bundle of cocoon threads havingexcellent insulating property, hygroscopicity and cushionability. Thatis, such stuffing is arranged in the state of separating cocoon threadsof long fibers one by one and continuing from end to end of the mattressand the like, and as a result, a desired space is formed betweenthreads, and an insulating property is excellent, every cocoon thread isindependent, and there is no twisting or kinking trouble. Furthermore,since the cocoon thread per se contains sericin, there are moderateresiliency and toughness, thread cutting during a period of use can bemitigated, and an advantage of natural silk can effectively beexhibited, so that the high-grade feeling different from feathers can beobtained. Moreover, a bundle of cocoon threads produced as stuffing issewed at appropriate portions so as to be free from fraying.

From the above, the stuffing produced from the process and the device ofthe invention can be utilized as the stuffing of not only mattress andthe like such as a coverlet and a bedding but also a wrap, shortcoat,cushion or a pillow, and clothing, such as arctic outfits and the like.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detail description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood form thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of one example mattress according to theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a partly cutaway perspective view of the mattress according,to the invention.

FIGS. 3(a), 3(b) and 3(c) are partially cutaway plan views showing thearranged state of bundle of cocoon threads in the mattress according tothe invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of another example mattress according to theinvention.

FIG. 5 is a general view of one example stuffing producing deviceaccording to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing the use condition of theabove device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a bundle of cocoon threads producedby the above device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a reel of the above device.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a machine part of the above device.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of a bundle ofcocoon threads produced by the above device.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another example reel of the adevice.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a further example reel of theabove device.

FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view showing a transverse suspensionshaft of the above device.

FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view showing another transversesuspension shaft of the above device.

FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view showing a further transversesuspension shaft of the above device.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a pulley part inserted into thetransverse suspension shaft of the above device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One example of the invention is explained by referring to FIGS. 1 and 2.A mattress 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed by covering a stuffing 2,an inner layer 6 for sandwiching the stuffing 2 from the upper and lowersides and a mattress body 3 formed by the inner layer 6 with a surfacecloth 8.

The stuffing 2 consists of a cocoon thread bundle 4 produced by drawingcocoon threads 5 out of about 3,000-5,000 cocoons, respectively,separating one by one and reeling the cocoon threads. The cocoon threadbundle 4 is pulled by a draft device and cut into suitable length inaccordance with a use.

The cocoon thread 5 for constructing the said cocoon thread bundle 4 isa long fiber of 2.5 denier to 3.0 denier in thickness, and one cocoonthread 5 is arranged in the continued state from end to end of themattress 1.

The cocoon thread bundle 4 is sandwiched by the inner layer 6 from boththe upper and lower sides, and applied with a quilting 7 for preventingslippage of the cocoon thread bundle 4.

Moreover, around the circumference of the side layer 6, in order toprevent thread cutting of the quilting 7, a surface cloth 8 consistingof a woven fabric is covered, while the peripheral portion of themattress 1 is fastened by lock processing with the use of a retentioncloth 9.

FIGS. 3(a), (b) and (c) are partially cutaway plan views showingarrangement states of the cocoon thread bundle 4 in the mattress of theinvention.

FIG. 3(a) shows a state of arranging the cocoon thread bundle 4 in thelongitudinal direction of the mattress 1. The cocoon bundle 4 consistsof a plurality of cocoons 5 arranged in the continuous state from an endI to the other end II of the mattress 1.

FIG. 3(b) shows a state of arranging the cocoon thread bundle 4 in theshort-side direction of the mattress 1. The cocoon thread bundle 4consists of a plurality of cocoons 5 arranged in the continuous statefrom an end III to the other end IV of the mattress 1.

FIG. 3(c) shows an arranged state by crossing the cocoon thread bundle 4in the longitudinal direction and the short-side direction of themattress 1.

Moreover, in the above (a), (b) and (c), the cocoon thread bundle 4 issandwiched by the inner layer 6 from both the upper and lower sides, andapplied with a quilting 7 for preventing slippage of the cocoon threadbundle 4. Furthermore, around the circumference of the inner layer 6, asurface cloth 8 is covered for preventing thread cutting and fraying ofthe quilting 7.

FIG. 4 shows another example of the invention. A mattress 11 doubles amattress body 3, and inserts a solid stuffing 10 as a core memberbetween the mattress body 3. The solid stuffing 10 can suitably beselected from those consisting of chemical fiber materials such asnylon, polyester and the like, properly having resilience by compressionprocessing, or feathers, wool and the like according to the purpose ofuse. The circumference of the mattress 11 having the aforementioned coremember 10 is covered with a surface cloth 12 and the peripheral portionis fastened by a retention cloth 13.

Moreover, when a resilient member is used as the solid stuffing 10, themattress 11 appropriately has strength, and is preferable to be utilizedas a mattress.

Next, a process and a device for producing stuffing according to theinvention is explained by referring to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a general view showing one example stuffing producing device101 of the invention used for carrying out a process according to theinvention. The stuffing producing device 101 is composed of a cocooncontainer 110, a transverse suspension shaft 120, a reel 130, anautomatic reeling device 140, a set table 150 and a sewing device 160.In the cocoon container 110 are contained a plurality of cocoons 111boiled using boiling water, steam and the like. Cocoon threads 112 ofthe cocoons 111 are reeled one by one by a reeler (not shown), passedthrough the transverse suspension shaft 120 and reeled off the reel 130of the automatic reeling device 140. The said transverse suspensionshaft 120 is positioned between the cocoon container 110 and the reel130, and can be positioned, for example, in the state shown in FIG. 13,14 or 15. In FIG. 13 the transverse suspension shaft 120 is fixed in afloor part 121, suspended between two supports 122 and set upsubstantially H-shaped. Also, in FIG. 14 the transverse suspension shaft120 is suspended between two supports 124 fixed in the ceiling 123.Furthermore, in FIG. 15 the transverse suspension shaft 120 is suspendedbetween side-wall faces 125 of a workshop and the like.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 16, in the said transverse suspension shaft120, it is preferable to rotatably mount a pulley part 126 consisting ofpolygons having suitable width. By that means, friction generated whenthe cocoon thread 112 passes through the transverse suspension shaft 120is mitigated, reeling work is smoothly carried out and the cocoon thread112 is prevented from cutting by friction. Moreover, for the transversesuspension shaft 120, various materials such as iron pipe, wire, wirerope, wood, string and the like can be used.

The automatic reeling device 140 is rotatably and detachably providedwith a flat board-like reel 130. Such reel 130 is, as shown in FIG. 8,contractible in the longitudinal direction and the vertical directionfor appropriately dealing with the size of mattress and the like.Moreover, by rotating the reel 130 in a certain direction, about 3,000-5,000 cocoon threads 112 can usually be reeled off at one time.

The sewing device 160 is provided with a long machine 161 and afastening frame 165. The long machine 161 consists of a pair of arms162, detachable supports 163 and a machine part 164 being movable to thelengthwise direction of the arms 162. The fastening frame 165 is, at thetime of sewing the cocoon thread 112, a fastener for fastening andfixing the reel 130.

Next, a process for sewing cocoon threads 112 is explained by referringto FIGS. 6 and 7. The cocoon threads 112 are reeled off by seriallyrotating a reel 130 in a certain direction. The reel 130 is moved to asewing device 160 and mounted within a fastening frame 165. The reel 130and the fastening frame 165 are inserted between arms 162 of the sewingdevice 160, a machine part 164 is moved to the longitudinal direction ofthe arms 162, and several portions of the cocoon threads 112 are sewn.In addition, the fastening frame 165 and the long machine 161 aremovable in arrow directions, respectively, but for example, in case ofmoving the fastening frame 165, the long machine 161 is fixed, and incase of moving the long machine 161, the fastening frame 165 is fixed.

After sewing, the reel 130 is removed from the fastening frame 165 andmoved to the set table 150. Then, both end portions 131 of the reel 130are cut by a cutter, the cocoon threads 112 are removed from the reel130 and a cocoon thread bundle 113 is formed. The cocoon thread bundle113 is in the state of bundling filamentary cocoon threads 112, so thatpermeability, insulating property and touch are excellent. Therefore,the cocoon threads can be utilized as stuffing of bedding and the like,and and also as a wrap, shortcoat, cushion or pillow, clothing, arcticoutfits and the like.

Next, another example of the mattress stuffing producing deviceaccording the invention is explained by referring to FIGS. 9 to 12.

FIG. 9 shows a tetragonal reel 132. In case of using the reel 132, firsta cloth 133 such as gauze and the like is wound on the circumference ofthe reel 132. Thereafter, the reel 132 is rotated in a certain directionto reel off cocoon threads 112. When the cocoon threads 112 are reeledoff, the whole is wound with a cloth 134 such as gauze and the like andtemporarily fastened. After completing the above, one support 163 of thelong machine 161 is removed, a side part 137 of the reel 132 is insertedinto the portion of an arm 162, and one place is sewed by a machine part164. Moreover, in case of the tetragonal reel 132, it is preferable tosew four sides while the reel 132 is rotated.

After sewing, the reel 132 is moved to a set table 150, and one place ofthe cocoon thread bundle 114 is cut by a cutter. Then, as shown in FIG.10, filamentary cocoon threads 112 are in the state of being held bycloths 133, 134. Therefore, an anti-fraying effect of the cocoon threads112 is improved. Moreover, in the state of being held by the cloths 133,134, the cocoon thread bundle 114 can be utilized as stuffing of notonly bedding and the like but also as a wrap, shortcoat, cushion orpillow, clothing, arctic outfits and the like.

FIG. 11 shows a trigonal reel 135, and in case of using the reel 135,first a cloth 133 such as gauze and the like is wound on thecircumference of the reel 132. After that, the reel 132 is rotated in acertain direction to reel off cocoon threads 112. When the cocoonthreads 112 are reeled off, the whole is wound with a cloth 134 such asgauze and the like and temporarily fastened. Moreover, in case of thetrigonal reel 135, it is preferable to sew three sides while the reel135 is rotated.

FIG. 12 shows a columnar reel 136, and in case of using the reel 136,first a cloth 133 such as gauze and the like is wound on thecircumference of the reel 132, and the reel 132 is rotated in a certaindirection to reel off cocoon threads 112. When the cocoon threads 112are reeled off, the whole is wound with a cloth 134 such as gauze andthe like and temporarily fastened. Moreover, in case of the columnarreel 136, it is preferable to sew plural portions while the reel 136 isrotated.

As explained above, the mattress of the invention separates long fibrouscocoons one by one and arranges them in the state continued from end toend of the mattress, so as to form appropriate spaces between threads,and to provide excellent insulating property. Moreover, every cocoonthread is independent, and there is no twisting or kinking trouble.Furthermore, since the cocoon thread per se contains sericin, there ismoderate resiliency and toughness, thread cutting during a period of usecan be mitigated, and the advantage of natural silk can effectively beexhibited, so that the high-grade feeling different from feathers can beobtained.

Moreover, the stuffing produced by the process for producing stuffingand the device of producing stuffing according to the invention is in abundled state of a cocoon thread bundle, so that permeability,insulating property and touch are excellent; and therefore, theinvention can widely be utilized as stuffing of not only bedding and thelike, such as the mattress of the invention, but also as a wrap,shortcoat, cushion, pillow, clothing, arctic outfits, padding of chairand sofa and the like. Furthermore, cocoon threads are sewed in thestate of winding round the reel, so that the cocoon threads can beprevented from fraying. Moreover, the reel is contractible in length andwidth, so as to produce a cocoon bundle of various sizes. Besides, incase of using a polygonal reel, stuffing is integrated by sandwichingwith two cloths, and as a result, anti-fraying can be more improved.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same maybe varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:
 1. A mattress, comprising:a thread bundle of longfibers, the bundle of long fibers being arranged in a repetitive patternalong a portion of the mattress; a pair of inner layers adjacent thethread bundle, the thread bundle being between the pair of inner layers;a quilting provided in the thread bundle, the quilting preventingmovement of the thread bundle; a surface cloth made of woven fabric, thesurface cloth covering the inner layers; and a retention cloth fasteningsaid thread bundle, said inner layers, said quilting and said surfacecloth, wherein the long fibers are a cocoon thread bundle reeled fromcocoon threads from a plurality of cocoons.
 2. The mattress as claimedin claim 1, wherein said thread bundle of long fibers is arranged in alongitudinal direction of the mattress.
 3. The mattress as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said thread bundle of long fibers is arranged in atransverse direction of the mattress.
 4. The mattress as claimed inclaim 1, comprising two tread bundles of long fibers, one of the twothread bundles of long fibers being arranged in a longitudinal directionand another of the two thread bundles of long fibers being arranged in atransverse direction of the mattress.
 5. The mattress as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a core member and two quilted threadbundles, wherein said core member is placed between the two quiltedthread bundles, whereby the two quilted thread bundles cover the coremember.
 6. The mattress as claimed in claim 5, wherein the two quiltedthread bundles are covered with an additional surface cloth.
 7. Themattress as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern in which the longfibers are arranged is a crisscrossing pattern.
 8. A process forproducing a mattress stuffing, comprising the steps of:reeling cocoonthreads off a plurality of cocoon bundles and around a reel apparatus toform a wound thread bundle on the reel apparatus, the reel apparatusproviding an interior space within the wound thread bundle; sewing thecocoon threads while wound around said reel apparatus, the cocoonthreads in the wound thread bundle on a opposite side of the spaceseparating the cocoon threads failing to be sewn together during thestep of sewing; and cutting and processing a bundle of sewn cocoonthreads on the reel.
 9. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein thestep of processing includes the step of separating ends of the woundbundle which have been cut, the wound bundle being unwound and laid flatduring the step of separating to thereby form an elongated mattressstuffing.
 10. The process as claimed in claim 8 wherein said cocoonthreads wound onto said reel apparatus are sandwiched between twocloths, the two cloths providing a layer enclosing the cocoon threads.11. An apparatus for producing a stuffing, comprising:a thread bundlecontainer having a plurality of cocoon thread bundles; a reel apparatusreeling threads off said cocoon thread bundles to form a wound threadbundle; a transverse suspension shaft arranged between said cocoonthread bundle container and said reel apparatus, the transversesuspension shaft supporting separated threads; a sewing device having along machine for sewing threads into the wound thread bundle, whereinsaid reel apparatus is integrated between a horizontal arm member unithaving two horizontal arm members; a sewing table arranged between saidreel apparatus and said sewing device; and an additional long machine,the additional long machine adjacent said reel apparatus for stitchingthe wound thread bundle, wherein a fastening frame is integrated betweenthe two horizontal and members of the horizontal arm member unit andmovable in a longitudinal direction relative to the horizontal armmember unit, the fastening frame holding the thread bundle.
 12. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said additional long machineis movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the horizontal armmember unit.
 13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein one ofsaid additional long machine and said fastening frame are movable in thelongitudinal direction while the other of said additional long machineand said fastening frame are stationary.